Convertible easy chair

ABSTRACT

A convertible easy chair structure comprising a number of upholstered cushion members having a substantially parallelepiped configuration. Each of the cushion members is provided with coverings and connected in succession to adjacent ones of cushion members by joining their respective coverings along a seam line coincident with horizontal corner edges of the confronting faces of the cushion members. The dimensions of said cushion members and the seam line connections being such as to permit the folding of respective cushion members to form an easy chair.

United States Patent [191 Monteforte et al.

[4 1 Sept. 2, 1975 CONVERTIBLE EASY CHAIR [76] Inventors: Maurizio Monteforte, Via Albani 57; Emilio Maras Picot, Via Mameli 48, both of Milan, Italy 22 Filed: Mar. 21, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 453,606

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Mar. 22, 1973 Italy 20998/73 [52] US. Cl. 297/456; 5/12; 5/357 [51] Int. Cl. A47C 7/02 [58] Field of Search 297/118, 456; 5/12, 352, 5/357 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,360,806 1/1968 Dunaway 5/352 X 3,555,581 1/1971 Friant 5/357 3,742,526 7/1973 Lillard 5/12 R 3,751,739 8/1973 Assmann 5/12 R Primary Examiner.lames C. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, or F [rm-Dr. Guido Modiano; Dr. Albert Josif [5 7] ABSTRACT A convertible easy chair structure comprising a number of upholstered cushion members having a substantially parallelepiped configuration. Each of the cushion members is provided with coverings and connected in succession to adjacent ones of cushion members by joining their respective coverings along a seam line coincident with horizontal comer edges of the confronting faces of the cushion members.

The dimensions of said cushion members and the seam line connections being such as to permit the folding of respectivecushion members to form an easy chair.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures This invention relates'to easy chairs of the kind that can be converted into beds or couches, and more particularly to a novel type of convertible easy chair stru cture specially, but not exclusively, suitable for modern style interior furnishing and decoration. I

There exists a growing demand in thefurnit'ure field for utility items of a practical and 'versatile nature.

Properly designed items of furniture provide, in fact, for a more flexible and non-specialized utilization of the room space available, e.g., through their employment in a number of different ways in the course of a 24-hour day, in order to save space and/or solve a variety of problems connected with housekeeping or the temporary adaptation of a room to meet emergency requirements.

Moreover, when such items of furniture can be given different comely shapes, they effectively contribute toward a personalized character in interior architecture to suit a variety of tastes. SUMMARY OF THE IN- VENTION This invention, in agreement with the above concept, provides a convertible type of easy chair, which not only may be turned into a bed or couch, but also be rearranged in a plurality of ways to take a remarkable and unusual number of changed positions.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a convertible easy chair structure which is both strong and functional, requires no framing or rigid support members to position or adjust its elements, and thereby to provide an extremely simple structure, design-wise homogeneous, and easy and quick to convert and reeonvert.

A further object of the invention is to provide a convertible easy chair, which can be manufactured easily and economically in large quantities.

These and other objects, which will become apparent hereinafter, are achieved by a convertible type of easy chair according to this invention, characterized in that it comprises a number of upholstered cushion members of substantially parallelepiped configuration, each of which cushion members is connected hinge-fashion to its adjacent cushion member or members at a seam line running along horizontal corner edges of the confronting parallelepiped faces, the dimensions of said cushion members and the hinge connected edges thereof being such as to allow the cushions to be folded up, thereby forming an easy chair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With reference to FIGS. 1 to 6, there is shown a number of upholstered cushion members substantially in the shape of'parallelepipeds having the same height and:

length of cushion member and'a fourth cushion mem'ber 4' of rectangular cros ection, the "length of cushion member 4 when added t o'the length of cushion member 3 being equal to the added lengths of cushion members 1 and 2. Cushion members 1, 2, 3 and 4 are interconnected by joining together their coverings along one horizontally extending corner edge of the confronting face of each adjacent cushion member. In other words, cushion member 1 is joined to cushion member 2 along a first seam line 5, cushion member 2 isjoined to cushion member 3 along a second seam line 6, and cushion member 3 is joined to cushion member 4 by a third seam line 7. Seam lines 5 and 6 lay in a plane that does not include seam line 7. The cushion member coverings are joined together as above by techniques such as sewing, lacing, thonging, or means like rings, circular folds, or zippers, all of which are well known in the art and ensure a hinge-like type of connection.

In operation, thanks to the arrangement of the seam lines, 5, 6 and 7, and to the relative dimensions of the cushion members, it becomes possible to position the four cushion members so as to produce an easy chair configuration. In this condition, cushion member 2 acts as a bottom or base portion of the easy chair, cushion member 3 is the seat portion, cushion member 4 is the backrest, and cushion member 1 serves as a support or filling portion between members 2, 3 and 4, as is best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The resulting easy chair configuration owes its stability to the mass and weight of the cushion members themselves. It is to be noted, moreover, that the above structure, when viewed frontally, exhibits a distinctly unitary appearance, there being no gap portions left between adjacent cushion members, i.e., the base, seat and backrest portions. In order to convert said easy chair according to the invention into a couch or bed, it only requires that the cushion members be extended and laid down onto a suitably flat area (FIG. 5). FIG. 6 shows how a headrest may be provided merely by folding up cushion member 1. This same easy chair structure lends itself quickly to conversion into a deep chair or lounge, simply by folding cushion member 4 under cushion member 3 to a desired extent, as shown by way of example in FIG. 4. Furthermore, it is possible to rearrange the four cushion members in a superimposed configuration or overlap disposition, thus forming a large-size general purpose seating structure (FIG. 3), whereon several people, e.g., guests in the house, are apt to be accommodated at one time.

In actual practice, the materials used and the dimensions of the structure described hereinabove may be any ones to suit different requirements and individual preferences.

We claim:

1. A convertible easy chair structure comprising a number of upholstered cushion members having a substantially parallelepiped configuration, each of said cushion members being provided with coverings and cushion member equals the length of said second cushion member, and a fourth cushion member of rectangular cross-section such that by adding the length thereof and the length of said third cushion member a dimension is obtained which equals the sum of the lengths of said first and second members, said first, second and third cushion members being joined together along horizontal corner edges thereof which lay in a plane that does not include the seam line between said third and fourth cushion members.

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1. A convertible easy chair structure comprising a number of upholstered cushion members having a substantially parallelepiped configuration, each of said cushion members being provided with coverings and connected in succession to adjacent ones of said cushion members by joining their respective coverings along a seam line coincident with horizontal corner edges of the confronting faces of said cushion members, wherein said cushion members all have the same height and width, and when viewed laterally with respect to the erected eAsy chair, comprise a first cushion member of substantially square cross-section, a second cushion member of rectangular cross-section, a third cushion member of rectangular cross-section having a length which when added to the length of said first cushion member equals the length of said second cushion member, and a fourth cushion member of rectangular cross-section such that by adding the length thereof and the length of said third cushion member a dimension is obtained which equals the sum of the lengths of said first and second members, said first, second and third cushion members being joined together along horizontal corner edges thereof which lay in a plane that does not include the seam line between said third and fourth cushion members. 